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While not as large as the Kodiak kings, they still
average 800-1200 pounds. Their diet is rich in
salmon and they use many different tactics to
catch the fish, including waiting at the bottom
the Legend Continues of the falls for the fish to jump, standing at the
top of the falls and catching the fish in their
mouth as the salmon leap out of the water, and
even pinning the slippery fish to the rocks with
There are several kinds of bears that a their massive paws. Scenic Bear Viewing
traveler will see in Alaska and it helps to
have a knowledge of the names as they are All grizzly bears are brown bears, but not all
sometimes used interchangeably, though they brown bears are grizzlies. Grizzlies are smaller
differ in size and shape: than the Kodiaks and coastal bears and can
be found roaming the interior of Alaska and
The black bear is the smallest of the Alaskan Canada, and down into Montana and Glacier
bears, though small is relative in the bear National Park and Yellowstone Park.
family as this animal on average weighs 350lbs.
Though their name has the word “black” in it, Up Close and Personal
they can also be brown, gray, and cream. A While popular conception has bears around
black bear can be distinguished from others, every tree trunk in Alaska, they can still remain
as they lack a large shoulder hump and their elusive. However, there are some favorite sites
profile is that of a straight head and snout. to view these creatures in order to take that
Their rump is higher than their shoulders and framable quality photograph or just to spin Scenic Bear Viewing
the ears are longer and come to more of a a few bear-raising tales for the friends back
point. The claws are black and short, giving home.
them a great ability to climb trees. All bears are
omnivores and opportunistic, meaning they will Katmai National Park and Preserve
eat anything that is available to them, such as Katmai encompasses over 4 million acres
insects, berries, fish, deer, moose, and caribou. and is located on a peninsula in southern Alaska
The yearly cycle of all bears is the same. They across from Kodiak Island. There are several
emerge in the spring from their dens hungry active volcanoes in the area with the last major
and ready to eat the first green plants that eruption occurring in 1912 with Mount Katmai
are springing up from the winter months. In and Novarupta erupting simultaneously,
summer, they are feasting on fresh berries and causing a pyroclastic flow that covered a
the salmon runs, putting on as much weight nearby valley with ash. As the volcanic deposits
as possible. By fall, there is a mad dash to eat cooled, they produced steam from fissures Scenic Bear Viewing
the dwindling food supply. Those that don’t earning the name “Valley of 10,000 Smokes.”
gain enough weight by this point risk starvation Katmai gives the visitor a unique opportunity
or being killed by other bears. As soon as the to explore immense, untouched wilderness
snow begins to fall, most bears are hibernating and volcanoes, as well as opportunities for
and mothers give birth to cubs inside the den. backpacking and camping. It is Alaska at its
finest. It is also here in Katmai where you can
Adult brown bears are massive, powerful, experience up-close and personal Alaska’s
the top of the food chain. They rule the forests famous and massive brown bears. While the
of Alaska with absolute authority. There is a park is open year round, it is remote and cannot
good chance that you will see them on your be accessed by car.
trip as there are 32,000 brown bears in the
state compared with 1200 in the lower 48. They Brooks Lodge & Falls Fly-in
are solitary animals, except for a mother with There are over 2,200 bears in Katmai and
cubs or when they are fishing in the same area. there is no better place to watch these amazing
Browns are distinguishable from blacks by animals fish, sun, and congregate than at
their large shoulder hump, which gives them Brooks Falls. During the height of the salmon
the strength to dig for roots and turn over run in July, up to 70 bears can be seen from the
fallen trees and logs. They also have a concave wooden platforms, each one wading into the
face and long claws used for digging. Despite water with its own unique fishing technique.
their bulk, they are very agile and can run up Seeing these bears in the unspoiled beauty of
to speeds of 30 miles per hour. Like blacks, the forest instinctively foraging for fish creates
they can be found with coats that range from unparalleled photography opportunities that
cinnamon to blonde. In this classification, there will surely dazzle family back home.
are some sub species:
Most visitors to Katmai come to this area via
The Kodiak is the granddaddy of brown float plane, arriving on Naknek Lake as Brooks
bears. Standing over 10’ tall on their hind legs Lodge is one of the only developed areas in the
and weighing up to 1600 pounds from a steady park. There is a 60-person capacity campsite
diet of grass, plants, salmon, and berries, they as well as cabins, cooking shelters with a fire
are the largest terrestrial carnivores on earth. ring in each shelter, food and gear storage
About 3500 of them can be found on the cache, and an electrified fence surrounding
pristine Kodiak Archipelago, making it one of the area. One of the most enjoyable ways to
the most dense and popular bear-viewing sites explore this area is through a guided tour with
in Alaska. operators having both day and overnight trips
available. A guided tour can add much depth
The Alaskan brown bear, or Alaskan coastal to your Katmai travels and often includes sites
bear, comes in second to the Kodiak and can and experiences you would not be able to have TM
be found up and down the southern coast. on your own, as well as the added safety of

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